Warning the Centre not to compromise on its earlier stand of demanding international probe in to the war crimes allegedly committed by Sri Lanka during the last leg of the civil war against LTTE in 2009, DMK president M. Karunanidhi on Sunday said that any attempt by the Centre to support a “watered down” US sponsored resolution at the UNHRC would be denial justice to Tamils.

Recalling a statement of MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup who hinted at GoI backing the diluted US resolution, Karunanidhi said the Indian government should not ‘withdraw’ its demand for international probe.

“Attempting to support the US sponsored resolution would amount to denial of justice to the Tamils victims of genocide, war crimes and human rights violations,” the DMK chief said, adding that Tamils wanted India to treat cautiously on the issue.

Drawing the Centre’s attention to the marked difference between the earlier strongly worded resolution in which serious allegations were leveled against Colombo and the most recent one tabled at the UNHCR, both were sponsored by the US, without even a mention of an international court recommended by the human rights commissioners, Karunanidhi said the difference (between the two resolutions) has made (people) wonder what triggered the US volte-face.

The call for international investigation has been made since the domestic inquiry by Lanka “will not be dispassionate and neutral”, the DMK chief reasoned.

Asserting that there could be further amendments to the draft US resolution before it is put to vote at the UNHRC on September 30, Karunanidhi referred to India’s likely support to the watered down US resolution and said that India should not withdraw even one bit from its demand for international investigation against Sri Lanka.

(Deccan Chronicle)